


It's a Wonderful Arrow Life

by HopeShannon3000



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Christmas, Mentions of Suicide, ghost - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-22
Updated: 2017-12-22
Packaged: 2019-02-18 06:03:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13093953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HopeShannon3000/pseuds/HopeShannon3000
Summary: Basically its a wonderful life but a version for Oliver.





	It's a Wonderful Arrow Life

It was late on a snowy Christmas eve, Oliver went to check in on William who was sound asleep, before going bed himself, as he lay in bed next to his wife, he remember the years since coming back from the island, the undertaking which took Tommy away from him, Slade's siege the year he lost him mom, Ra's Al Ghul when he almost lost him sister, Damien Darhk when he lost Laurel and almost lost felicity and Chase who cost him the Samantha and almost himself... Its times like this he wonder what life would have been like if he was never born? If he was never around to infect these peoples lives, he may be happier but he still lives with the pain of the one's his lost everyday, as he drifts into deep sleep that's the only thought that haunts him...

When Oliver woke he woke to an empty bed, he called out for Felicity and William and got no answer, he began to panic and jumped up to search the apartment only to find an empty apartment, no pictures, no furniture, no marks on the floor from where William ran to fast, no color that felicity brought to the place, just an empty space,

"What the hell is going on?"

"You got your wish Oliver, you was never born" the voice was familiar and brought a smile to Oliver's face...

"Tommy...how?...why?...What is going on?"

"I just told you, you was never born, no one lives here yet, rent is pretty expensive now no a lot of people can afford these kind of places, not since the undertaking"

"I stopped the undertaking well part of it" Oliver looked confused, Was Tommy mad? he died during the undertaking how could he forget...

"Well you was never born here, so the undertaking happened as it was planned"

"I don't understand, how are you dead then?" 

"That's a story you'll see soon, why don't we got for a walk for old times sake"

___________________________________________________________________________

Soon enough they arrived at the Queen Manor 

"Remember this place?"

"Of course, i grew up here, so did you, you was always around, we always making trouble" 

"Why don't we go inside for a sneak peek?" 

Tommy looked worried, like he knew something but didn't want to tell him, he had see it for himself and as he stepped into the house, he saw his Mother and Walter and Thea, how was this possible? 

"What is going on Tommy?" 

"I don't know how many times i have tell you, i'm showing you what life would be like if you was never born, don't worry they can't see or hear you, why not walk around see if its the same family you remember" 

Oliver did just that he first follow Thea, she looked sad and broken, like she had given up on everything, just wanted to put on a fake smile for the cameras and once she was alone, she cried, Thea never did like a life without a purpose, she hated being in the limelight 24/7, Oliver was shocked to see her doing drugs again, she'd given the drugs up, why did go back? 

"Shocking sight, Without you around Thea was thrown into the public eye, bullied by the press really, first shes too fat then too thin, she looked pale, she didn't fit in, all she wanted to do was be a normal girl, so she turned to drugs to help dull the pain, and with no brother to help support of get off the drugs, she just carried on"

"Your her brother too Tommy! why didn't you do anything?"

"Why would i? i didn't know Thea Queen, i didn't know she was my sister, you only found out because of Felicity, lets go see how your mother is doing"  
___________________________________________________________________________  
"Walter i don't know what your talking about?" His mother looked the same and sounded the same, maybe nothing changed for her, maybe she was better off...  
"I know you had something to do with the Glades being destroyed!"

"Now what do i gain from that? How would i even accomplish something like that?"

"I don't know, which is why i want you to tell me, I've been silent long enough, i beg you to tell me, i can't carry on being under the same roof as a mass murder"

"I never did anything Walter, what happened was awful but it was for the better, Starling is booming now better then ever"

Walter give his mother a disappoint look, one he had never seen, then he walked away, he mother held the straight face like always before turning to the phone and dialing...

"Walter knows, he's not going stop, we are to far gone to let this get out now, fix this now!"

"Well your mother did gain from the undertaking at least, just cost her soul, she'll never face justice for killed thousands of peoples, but hey i suppose that's for the best, right?" 

Tommy patted him hard on the back, Oliver couldn't believe this was happening, this wasn't right.

"Well where are you in this world Tommy?" 

"I'll show you"  
___________________________________________________________________________  
They came to a graveyard, Oliver looked at the tombstone, even in this life Tommy died

"I know i can't seem catch a break" He chuckled   
"What happened? i don't understand why you died"

"Well the undertaking, laurel was inside the legal aid just like in your life, i didn't get there fast enough, she died, i never got over that, if i had been 5 seconds quicker she would have lived, we could have got married, had kids, lived in a big house"

"But that doesn't explain how you died"

"I drank alot, held the guilt of her death inside of me, let it slowly rot me away, i just gave up and ended up taking my own life, who'd miss me? no real friends, my father was always off doing anything he could to aviod me and the love of my life was dead, how could i go on?"

Oliver looked at the tombstone again, before noticing the one beside it, the one for laurel, they both still died in the this life, laurel died the the earthquake thinking no one was coming for her, and Tommy died thinking he was worthless and unloved, Oliver wiped the tears from his cheek

"I'm sorry, i'm sorry you died like that, in both this life and my other life, you and laurel deserved better, you should have had the happy life you wanted"

"It's in the past now, lets moved on"  
___________________________________________________________________________  
They entered a tiny, dark apartment, looked like no one lived here or more like no one should live here, Oliver took in the apartment, no one he knows would ever live like this, the curtains torn, no basic lightening just darkness only light coming from outside, the furniture looking old and worn out, the kitchen a mess of mold, dirty pots and pans...

"Who lives here?"

"Your good friend John Diggle"

"No... he'd never live like this, Lyla would kill him?"

"Lyla? shes dead, she died in Russia, no one came to save her"

"So John became this because Lyla died?"

"No he doesn't know about that, John became this because of his brother"

As if on que John came into the apartment, he looked angry and tired, John kicked over a cabinet sending it flying "Damn it!! God fucking damn it" he screamed over and over again destroying the apartment, slowly calming down, that's when Oliver noticed the tears, John rarely cried and when he did it was serious, John soon enough fell to the floor, and just lay there looking into the darkness...

"What happened to john?"

"He is looking for his brother? he knows he's alive, just discovered him working for Darhk, his brother killing innocents, only this time he doesn't have his friend to comfort him and to remind him who he is, John is lost to the darkness, just a little ray of light slowly burning out, soon enough he'll join his brother, only family he has, not like he has a wife or a kid" 

Oliver couldn't say anything, John was the strongest and best man he knows, and he is on the floor broken and falling into darkness, John he knew would never give up like this, no matter what he always stood for what he believed in....

"I don't want to see anymore"

"Can't stop now, don't worry it will be over soon enough, then you get to choose"

"Choose what?"

"You'll see"  
___________________________________________________________________________  
Next they enter an apartment he recognized, the bright colors, the movie posters, the books, the clothes all over the floor, Felicity's old apartment, he brought a smile to his face, knowing his girl was still as bright as ever until she came into the apartment, in other mans arms...

"Dinner was amazing, a little more interested in dessert"

"I bet you are, well you did hack in the bank and make us 10,000$ tonight i think you've earned a reward"

They ran off to the bedroom and closed the door behind them but Oliver could still hear the sighs, moans and giggles... Felicity back with Cooper? how was that possible? and her hacking into banks stealing money, it didn't sound like her at all

"Little confusing right?" 

"Very, could you explain it to me"

"Well Cooper never died as you know, he came back and found Felicity who was over the moon to see the man she loved back and would do anything to keep him, she hacks banks to get money, hacks into the government files and leaks them... You was there you didn't show her she could hack to help people and she never fell in love with you, so she became lost and would do anything to please Cooper, very different person to the woman you know"

"This can't all be happening to Thea, John, Felicity, Lauren, You just because i'm not here!!!"

"One person can effect a lot of people Oliver, You made a big impact, you might have made some mistakes, but look at the people around you, you helped them become who they are, just like they helped you"

"What about William? he must be better off"

"William? he was never born, he doesn't exist, your his dad without you no William" 

"No! William has to exist, he's a good kid, he must some how exist"

"He doesn't Oliver"

"That's my son Tommy! show me my son" Oliver began to raise his voice

"I can't, but is it time to choose"

"Choose what?"

"Which life you want? you wanted to know if everyone was better off without you beng born, are they?"

Oliver looked back at the night, Thea on drugs, John turning to darkness losing his way, Felicity wrapped up in other mans arms and William never being born, Tommy and Laurel still dead, This isn't what he meant! he wanted everyone to be happy still, he just never realized he played a role in their happiness

"I want to go back home, to my son and my wife, to see my friends and sister"

"Very well, just one thing before you go"

"Go on?"

"I miss you brother, i'll always be here for you Oliver no matter what"

"I miss you too Tommy"

He hugged Tommy, it was the last time he ever would, to have his friend back even for a night was enough, Tommy always helped him find his way, always set him straight, of course he'd be one to do it again, slowly everything around him began to fade until there was nothing.

___________________________________________________________________________

Oliver woke with a jump, he was in bed, he looked around the room,his furniture was back, the picture of William and Felicity on his night stand, he looked over and saw he sleep wife, still deep in sleep hugging the pillow, he leaned over to kiss her forehead, he got out of bed and ran to Williams room, his son was still there, still hanging half out of bed holding a game controller, Oliver went into his room and took the controller and put it aside, lifted his son into bed and covered him with the duvet, It must have been a bad dream, a very bad dream! 

He went to get some water, he noticed a post it note on a photo he had on the fridge and him and Tommy, he pulled the noted off it read: 'You play a role in their happiness too, don't forget that' 

Maybe not a dream, maybe he was given a chance, his friend always looking out for him even in death, Oliver took the note and put it in his nightstand as a reminder that his friend is looking over him and that he has people he needs look over too, he climbed back into bed and this time went to sleep with a smile on his face.


End file.
